it's been awhile since we landed back on homeland.

i wish words could describe every feeling i've felt during the trip.
it is such a beautiful chapter of our lives.

it feels so magical;
it feels surrealistic to have it happened now that we're all back to reality in singapore.

i remember only have finished packing my luggage just before i left the house at 5.05am.
the feeling of going to the airport was pretty much just reluctant- to leave so much things unfinished, and to embark on the unknown.

i remember the journey to shanxi was rather tiring, with planes that lack of any entertainment services and delays in the 2nd flight.

i remember how the team reacted to the "road rage" as we carried on our jounrney by bus.
i remember the difficulties i had to write my name down on the piece of paper as the bus shook violently and constantly to the uneven-ness of the road.

i remember getting hit by the coldness as we stepped into dayaodi village for the first time.
it was midnight by then. the place was so quiet and dark, with little lights to lead us the way to our room.

i remember cuddling up every night, shivering and chattering, wishing i was sweating it out back in singapore.

i remember waking up every morning to see faces of the team, the villagers, the dog and the kitten.

i remember seeing 2 shooting stars on different nights.
a beautiful line drawn across the star-filled night sky.

i remember the 4 mountains we climbed within one day.

i remember us trying out the street food which was awesome.

i remember having our first bath, after 7 days.

i remember the sunrise-
us squeezing into the van.
us waiting for the sun to rise.
wait for it... wait for it -
and there, the first glimspe of the sun, just above the mountains.
i wish emo clique was there to witness it too.

and oh, how can i not remember that 80 percent of our conversation topics consisted of shit.
because, how can we possibly forget the experience of using the mao che (toilet) there.
everyday, we'd be updating each other whether or not we have pooped, and how much of it.

i remember the meals that the villagers prepared for us-
frozen hands warming up to the hard boiled eggs for breakfast.
i remember all the toasts we had made.
"chi de hao, chi de bao"

i remember the digging of trenches, shovelling tons of soil, washing of pebbles.

i remember all the small little tiny details that put a smile on my face, i'm grateful for-
the people who have helped me one way or the other throughout this trip.

i remember dancing and singing under stars, out in the cold, rehearsing for our performances.

i remember rushing the project late into the night,
us insisting that we couldnt sleep and convincing them to let us help,
talking to the villagers about life, translating to sarina as much as i myself could understand,
freezing in the coldness with hands numbed by the soaked gloves worn,
with arms weak from all the washing of pebbles,
fascinated by the thick fog that has descended upon the village.
then, at 2am, a group of us were there having cup noodles in the fog.
it was the last night, but it was too foggy to star gaze in the village for the last time.

i remember boarding the bus with heavy hearts, hesistant to leave.

all these experience our team share will always be remembered.



hmmm.
i think no matter how great i describe it here, you have got to experience it yourself to understand how truly awesome it has been.

i'm truly cherish this opportunity given to us.
really thankful to everyone who is a part of making all these happen.



a new semester - starting next week.
plenty has changed.
can you feeling the anxiety of it?

there's so much to say, but...